5 Cool Hula Hoop Tricks & Tips

Coola Hooping

Hula hooping should be called “coola hooping” because it is more than just swirling that fun thing around your waist; there is actually a bunch of really awesome tricks that you can do with them!

You have probably seen a few of the cool hula hoop tricks performed before, but there is a much larger world of hula hooping to explore!

Read on as we break down a few of these hula hoop tricks and then get out there and try a few. You might find yourself making money as a street performer if you get really good!

Trick #1: The Vortex

This one is neat because it gives the illusion that the hula hoop is swirling around you up and down, but in reality, it never actually touches your body, except for your hands.

Be careful, you can get very dizzy!

Start by swirling around your waist as normal.

Grab the hula hoop with one hand while still guiding it around in a circle, raise it up while turning your body 180.

Now grab the hula hoop with the other hand and bring it down as you begin to turn face front again.

Trick #2: Elbow Duck and Roll

A very interesting trick that looks difficult from an outsiders perspective, but very doable! Try this one without getting twisted into a pretzel!

Start by swirling the hula hoop around your right wrist or hand

Next, pop your elbow through the hula hoop as it is rotating around your wrist, so that it is now rotating around your right elbow.

As the hula hoop is coming to its peak, quickly poke your head through while at the same time grabbing the hula hoop at the 6 o’clock position with your right hand. This will take a bit of practice.

Do a varial roll with the hula hoop, which is where you spin your body clockwise while you raise your right hand (the hand that should still have a grip on the hula hoop). While you are turning, you should be taking the hula hoop off from around your neck.

Bring your arm out and land the hula hoop back onto your right wrist. Add a leg kick to make it look more interesting!

Trick #3: The Lift Up

A lot of people have seen this trick before, so it’s a cool one to learn. If you are spinning clockwise, use our left hand, if you are spinning counterclockwise, use your right hand. The instructions will explain the trick with a counterclockwise spin.

Spin your hula hoop around your waist as normal.

Place your hand on the lower portion of your back, palm out, so that the hula hoop is rotating over your open palm.

Once you feel comfortable, as the hula hoop begins to cross over your hand, quickly grab it and raise your arm straight up in front of your body, and release your grab so that the hula hoop is swirling around your hand and above your head, much like a lasso.

Once you have mastered the lift up, add a body spin to the trick!

Trick #4: One-handed Weave

This hula hoop trick looks a lot like a sideways figure 8, or an infinity symbol. Though it looks complicated, this basic trick is a great one for beginners to learn!

With your right hand, grab the hula hoop at the top, palm up, and hold it to your right side.

Rotate your wrist counterclockwise so that your hand winds up at the bottom of the hula hoop palm down.

While continuing the rotation, bring the hoop down in front of your body. Your arm should be crossed in front of your body to the other side, with your hand palm down at a 12 o’clock position.

Rotate your wrist clockwise, so that your hand is at the bottom of the hoop palm up.

Continue the rotation while bringing your hand back down across your body, to go abck to your right side.

Trick #5: Knee Hopping

Why not break away from the traditional hula hooping around the waist and bring it down a level while bringing your skills up a level?

Start with your knees close together and relaxed.

Just above your knees, wind the hoop up, just as you would do for hula hooping around the waist, and fling the hoop to begin the rotation clockwise.

Use your left leg for support while you use your right leg to keep the hoop swinging around, using a bouncing motion.